GUWAHATI: The Assam cabinet on January 10, took several decisions aimed at boosting tourism, ensuring land rights for indigenous communities, addressing gaps in education, and providing relief to small traders.
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Promoting Tea Tourism
To enhance Assam’s tourism potential, the cabinet approved the development of two tea tourism projects at Lepetkata Tea Estate in Dibrugarh and Durrung Tea Estate in Sonitpur
Ensuring Land Rights for Indigenous Communities
To secure land rights for indigenous families and public institutions such as mandirs and namghars, the cabinet decided against converting Deochali PRF (Proposed Reserved Forest) into a Reserve Forest in Dibrugarh. This move has been targetted so that local communities are not deprived of their land rights.
Additionally, the government extended the deadline for accepting manual applications under Mission Basundhara until January 31, specifically for public institutions seeking land rights.
Provincialisation of Schools
Also, addressing long-standing issues of educational inclusion, the cabinet formed a sub-committee to review the exclusion of genuine educational institutions, established before 2006, from the list of provincialised schools. The committee has been tasked with studying the matter and submitting recommendations within a month for their inclusion.
Relief for Small Traders
Additionally, to provide financial relief to small vendors, the cabinet exempted vegetable and paan-tamul vendors from paying any fees to mahaldars. This step is expected to ease the burden on small traders and promote local entrepreneurship.
